Kearney is IMO world class at FB. At stand off he is a waste. he is one of our most dangerous attacking players so FB is defo a must for him sunday. I wouldnt be confident with royston at full back in a big game at a big stage so soon. Kearney at full back. My team would be

Kearney
Ainscough
Walker
Platt
Raynor
Ah Van
Briggs
Lynch
Lestrange
Lynch
Whitehead
Elima
Langley
Bench: Diskin, Scruton, Royston, Kopzack

cant say I really consider whitehead as a youngster anymore. For my money he's a full member of the senior squad now and should be used accordingly.

Agreed and mat to answer your question it would be sibbit. Hes impressed all pre season. Sykes is not good enough at the moment to be included in this match

Whitehead was referenced directly as one of those who suffered from being thrown in at the deep end. He might still be rotated to help him last the season.

was just looking for whiteheads age and noticed that Royston is yet to be born www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/players

was just looking for whiteheads age and noticed that Royston is yet to be born www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/players

I've no doubt he will be rotated at some point but I'd let him play a couple of competitive games before I started thinking about it tbh. Wouldnt leave sibbit out either though. I'd have sibbit on bench and gamble on not needing a replacement back.

Platt
Ainscough
walker
Ah Van
Raynor
Kearney
Briggs
Hargreaves
Diskin
Lynch
Elima
Whitehead
Langley
Subs: Royston, Scruton,
Kopzack, L' estrange

For me L'Estrange to scrum half is the least disruptive option. As has been said before, I thought Kearney in the Wakefield game at FB looked class.

Kearney
Ah Van
Platt
Walker
Ainscough/Rayner
Briggs
L'Estrange
Langley
Whitehead
Elima
Hargreaves
Diskin
Lynch

Kopczak
Scruton
Sibbit
Royston

If it doesn't workout we can still then bring on Royston to FB and move Kearney into the halves.

Sods law, an injury in one position we aren't comfortable covering elsewhere!

Wouldn't it be nice in times like these to have a creative 13 to relieve some of the pressure on the likes of Briggs...

It will be interesting to see what route Potter goes down, I can't really decide if we should move Kearney or play Strangey at halfback.

problem with moving l'estrange to scrum half is, whilst it is least disruptive, he's innefective there. He had ample opportunity to show us what he can do there last season and never looked comfortable there imo. Also it places added pressure on diskin of playing full 80 which is in itself disruptive and it shouldnt be forgotten that diskin is only just coming back from surgery and only had a limted pre-season due to this.

From what i've read in T&A, its a case of selecting someone to play stand-off. Briggs will play 7.

So it's probably out of Kearney & Ah Van. Even though Kearney is without doubt at his best at 1, he's probably the next best option at 6 so i'd put him there.


L'Estrange could be moved into halves and Kearney to 1 if needed later on.


Ah Van/Platt
Raynor
Walker
Platt/Ah Van
Ainscough
Kearney
Briggs
Lynch
L'Estrange
Hargreaves
Whitehead
Elima
Langley

Diskin
Scruton
Kopzcak
Sibbit

I'd just be concerned that Raynor and Ainscough are 2 very short wingers, Leeds will probably target them with high balls so their centres will really have to help out.

A little less optimistic without Herbert in the side, but Briggs can put in an even better performance and show Leeds he's SL quality!

And, yeah, the Leeds side looks pretty strong, but they'll play differently to how they did last season so they won't be the finished article yet either.